Simple Orange Marmalade

Makes about 6 jam jars

Recipes

1.5kg oranges
2 lemons
1.5 kg granulated sugar

Method

Firstly put a saucer in the freezer or fridge. This will be used for the wrinkle test later.

Sterilised your jars and lids by putting the clean jars on a tray in a low oven 100°C for a least 30 minutes, and the lids can be boiled in a saucepan for about 10 minutes.

Put the whole oranges with a few wide strips of peel from the lemons, the lemon pips and lemon juice in a large pan and cover with 4 pints of water so that the oranges are covered, I put a saucer over them to keep them submerged. Bring to the boil, and simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours, until you can pierce the peel with a fork.

Take out the oranges and pour the lemony water into a bowl. Let the oranges cool a little, you can carefully cut them in half to speed this up. When they have cooled, scoop out the insides and pop this in a muslin cloth with the lemon pips and lemon peel which will be tied up with string. Cut the orange peel into small strips about 2-3 mm wide, and leave to one side.

In the same saucepan pour in the sugar and the saved water. Add the muslin bag and bring to the boil for 5-7 minutes.

Using a sieve over the saucepan squeeze the liquid out of the muslin bag with a wood spoon pressing down carefully. This juice is high in pectin so gives marmalade a good set.

Add the peel to the liquid in the saucepan, then bring to the boil and bubble rapidly for 15- 25 minutes until setting point is reached.

I don’t use a thermometer, I tend to rely on the look and feel of the setting. After 15 minutes take the saucer out of the fridge and drop a 10p size piece of marmalade on the cold surface. Give it 30 seconds then carefully touch it to see if it wrinkles or is still wet. If so just keep boiling and test again in 3-4 minutes.

When ready carefully pour into your serialise jars. And seal with wax paper or turn them upside down with the lids on to take out the air. I label mine with a date so I know when I made it.